GEM WX-Expander

[Organist]

Floppy replaced by a SD-HxC and tried with autoboot.hfe and startupa.hfe. It looks and sounds well, but the WX-Expander shows allways "No disk inserted".
What is the most helpful change? Twisted cable, special wireing, other jumper setting, other config or a forced mode instead of auto? I feel that i am very near to the goal, but with the wrong test i am going backward. Any suggestion is welcome. http://torlus.com/floppy/forum/posting. ... =post&f=18#
Rolf, a new member

[Jeff]

Floppy replaced by a SD-HxC and tried with autoboot.hfe and startupa.hfe. It looks and sounds well, but the WX-Expander shows allways "No disk inserted".
What is the most helpful change? Twisted cable, special wireing, other jumper setting, other config or a forced mode instead of auto? I feel that i am very near to the goal, but with the wrong test i am going backward. Any suggestion is welcome. http://torlus.com/floppy/forum/posting. ... =post&f=18#
Rolf, a new member

need pictures. and why your are using the autoboot.hfe ?

[Organist]

Hi Jeff,
You need pictures from what? The connection is a short 34pin flat cable 1:1 not twisted. The WX-Expander with original floppy loads at power on all files on a inserted disk automatic. Now i try to emulate this automatic load function with the HxC-Floppy. If this is possible with an other type of hfe file, i have no need of an autoboot.hfe. At power on, it is not possible to select a file because the entire disc with all subfolders has to be read in.

[Jeff]

Hi Jeff,
You need pictures from what?

To see exactly what you have done (to see connection, switch settings, power connection...)
a good picture is generaly 100x better than non-ending forum or email exchanges...

the autoboot is only for CPC, Atari and Amiga computer. No point at all with the GEM WX...

What i am missing to answer correctly :
The original floppy disk drive and jumper setting (Some pictures please !)

[Organist]

In the moment i have only this pictures available. For jumper settings on the original floppy i have to look this evening at home.
(pictures sent by email)

[Organist]

Now the pictures of the original Floppy also in this forum:
The small flat cable is for the display under the floppy.

Epson_1.jpg (114.68 KiB) Viewed 14750 times

Epson_2.jpg (124.01 KiB) Viewed 14750 times

Epson_3.jpg (50.05 KiB) Viewed 14750 times

[Jeff]

Download this :

https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... Images.zip

Unpack SDHxCFE_GeneralMusic_GEM_S3.zip to your sdcard.

Try to access, DSKA0000.HFE with the Gem WX. If this doesn't work try to format the image with the Gem WX.

[Organist]

No working solution found with HxC software to transfer data from original floppy to sd-card. There are some folder confusion.
Solution:
1. Copy GEM_S3 files to SD. Insert SD and load. WX shows some data errors.
2. Format SD with WX
3. Connect original floppy to WX. All data will be loaded.
4. Change connection to HxC floppy with running WX
5. Save all to SD - finished

Power off and on: All data are loaded and all disk functions are working fine.

Thanks a lot Jeff

[Jeff]

No working solution found with HxC software to transfer data from original floppy to sd-card. There are some folder confusion.
Solution:
1. Copy GEM_S3 files to SD. Insert SD and load. WX shows some data errors.
2. Format SD with WX
3. Connect original floppy to WX. All data will be loaded.
4. Change connection to HxC floppy with running WX
5. Save all to SD - finished

Power off and on: All data are loaded and all disk functions are working fine.

Thanks a lot Jeff

You can also use the hxc software to read the WX floppies.

Are you ok to share pictures and some working HFE images ?

[Organist]

Yes sure, i will write a documentation with pictures for the GEM WX-Expander because the space inside is very tight and some mechanical modifications are necessary for the floppy replacement. The original epson floppy is of mini size.
I know, the HxC software can read floppy discs, but with all trials i get no working SD. Anyway, with an empty but WX formated SD card it must be possible to write on data from the PC. I'm doing some more tests.

[Jeff]

I know, the HxC software can read floppy discs, but with all trials i get no working SD.

probably because you need to change the interface mode to PC 1.44MB before exporting the file.

[Jeff]

Disk Images pack updated ! :
https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... Images.zip

And a small mount procedure :
https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... pander.pdf

Thanks to Organist !